1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to equipment used for pulling dents in the process of auto body repairing and refinishing. Normally, if the back side of the panel to be straightened is accessible, dents are pressed or punded out. In may cases, holes are drilled in the dent area, a hook rod is inserted, and the dents are jacked out or levered out. In most recent innovations, discs or washers are welded into the recess of the damaged areas with the apertures in straight alignment with one another. A metal rod is then passed through the apertures where it is pulled to straighten out the dented area. Providing pulling equipment which will adequately exert pull on the washers without pushing another dent in the car body surface where the puller feet rest, is the problem. Another problem is the uneven panel surfaces on which the puller feet must be rested. My invention, in two embodiments described hereinafter, is designed to solve both the foot placement problem, and the pull-push problem often encountered while using available equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many auto body dent pulling devices seen in past art patents are refined versions of screw and hydraulic jacks. As vehicular inside finishing became more sophisticated, equipment for auto body dent removal also shows interesting innovations. For example, the patent issued to Crowder, U.S. Pat. No. 2,696,240, dated Dec. 7, 1954, shows an interesting, if not necessarily practical, concept for using double magnets. The device is illustrative of the developing need for better dent pulling methods. External levering is seen in the Boykin, JR., device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,795, dated June eb 12, 1956. Boykin, Jr., takes into consideration the difficulty of removing inside upholstering to access the back side of a dented car panel. His device uses a screw hole in the dent. His device, however, has limited space between his puller and the position where the foot of the device must rest. Adjustable spaced footings and use of a pneumatic powered cylinder are seen in the Jones patent of Dec. 8, 1970, U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,250. Jones uses a chain to pull a bolted washer for dent removal and his patent illustrates the developing need for a non-damaging foot arrangement which is really not accomplished in his invention. Devices, both jacking and levering, are seen in other U.S. Patents including: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,729,974; 4,089,201; 4,116,035; 4,348,884; and 4,503,701 U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,701 does show a leavering device with some adjustment provisions made for adjusting pressure foot distance relative to the pull mechanism. This device, however, is primarily directed towards a hook to be inserted through the dent area. The leavering method requires considerable strength and carefulness to accomplish a properly pulled dent.
The foregoing patents are mentioned here as illustrative of the need for an improved levering device for dent removal during auto body repair. My invention provides an improved device for auto body dent pulling.